Groupon and the Developing World

Most people in the world have by this time used or heard of the company, Groupon. Sure there are similar services throughout the world, but it's my opinion that Groupon will corner most markets and make the biggest impact of them all.

So I'm wondering to myself, in this ever shifting global landscape of technology and commerce, how will Groupon integrate itself in directly affecting the social good of the world. Yes I know the service does help in some ways with economic propulsion in some ways, but what if they expanded the services to hospitals (medicine, treatments, etc) schools (cheaper books, uniforms, discounted courses for secondary schools), or internet centers for young people (discounted usage for internet or phone credits, cheaper downloads, etc).

As Groupon is changing the landscape of how business provide incentives to their customers within the richer markets of the world, so too can they generate more market drive within the poorer communities of the world (albeit these users will need some sort of 2G phone to access the deals). Essentially, by cutting costs to the lowest possible, companies will push harder to reach their targeted consumer and push more transparency on the subject of putting the consumer first.

As the economies of the world rely closer on each other for imports and exports, so too is the transfer of strategies within particular economies that generating the most buzz and high income revenues. And the companies I am discussing, up till now, have been agile enough to transform their organizations within particular regions to address societal norms and respect the identities of new residencies. And as aid and development work is an important aspect to many countries throughout the world, so too are the funding these projects have. Once more options are available and cheaper services possible, the scope and possibilities for reducing costs from the likes of a Groupon don't seem that far fetched.

Groupon has already purchased similar services in South Africa and India for fantastic bargains. Where will they head to next...

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Voices of Youth (VOY) was founded in 1995 as UNICEF’s online place for young people to learn more about issues affecting their world. Today, VOY is a vibrant community of youth bloggers from all over the world, offering inspiring, original insight and opinion on a variety of topics. Everyone is welcome to write, film, comment and engage in discussions. Let’s go!